Dental aspirator



Aug. 19,v 1941. H, R SEGEL 2,253,143

DENTAL ASPIRATOR Filed Aug. 5, 1940 Patented ug. 19, 1941 `UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE DENTAL ASPIRATR Harry P. Siegel, Brooklyn, N. Y.Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,315

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in dental aspirators and isdesigned to be used as an instrument for removing and trappingsecretions of the mouth, blood and other debris resulting from dentalWork.

An object of the invention is to provide an aspirator adapted to bereadily attached to commonly employed dental equipment known as an aircut-off, and to thereby be capable of manipulation with one hand of 'adentist while his other hand is free to handle other instruments.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for detaching thesuction nozzle of the aspirator for purposes of sterilization, and forthe substitution of nozzles differing in size of apertures therethrough,or in length and shape, and without disturbing the integrity of thenecessary tight joint rbetween such nozzles and cooperating parts of thedevice.

A further object of the inventionresides in means for adjusting theangle of presentation of the suction nozzle for greater convenience inreaching certain parts of the mouth of a patient while still maintainingthe tight joint.

Other advantageous features and objects of the invention are hereinafterset forth.

Heretofore saliva ejectors, or other forms of dental equipment utilizedfor removing secretions of the mouth during the work of preparingcavities in the teeth for filling, have been largely dependent uponconnection with running water in order to obtain the desired suction.Such devices are wasteful, and not only too clumsy but impractical forthe purpose set forth herein.

This invention is also useful in mouth or nose surgery, or,other minorforms of surgical operations where it is similarly desirable to promotebetter vision by the removal of accumulations of blood in the workingarea during the operation, and particularly with respect to coagulationtending to seriously interfere with the work of the surgeon. The deviceis effective with respect to the remo-val of the apex of a broken rootof a tooth, solids in suspension in the saliva, or other forms of debristhat may occur, such as bone splinters resulting from an extraction.Furthermore cavities in the teeth under treatmentmay be convenientlydried and debris removed therefrom without the shock to a patient thatfrequently happens when a jet of air is directed into a sensitivecavity, and also with less danger of infection.

The invention consists of a special cap for attachment to a glass jar,or other suitable receptacle, having a suction nozzle and an injectionnozzle together with an exhaust pipe, all forming component parts ofsaid cap, and symmetrically arranged in transverse alignment so as notto interfere with the line of vision of the operator, the nozzles beingpositioned diametri cally opposite but pointed in a similar direction.The rear end of the injection nozzle extends beyond the periphery of thecap and is adapted to be engaged by and secured to a fitting carried bythe air cut-olf, and which latter may thus be employed as a handle formanipulating the device.

In the drawing illustrating a suitable ernbodi` ment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, on a reduced scale,V

of my improved dental aspirator shownattached to a dental air cut-offfixture.

Figure 2 is a detail plan view of the `bayonet slide'for attaching thesuction nozzle of vthe device` 1 Figure 3 `is a central vertical sectionof the device of Figure 1 with the air cut-off shown broken away, and,

Figure 4 is a rear elevation with the jar omitted, and the injectionnozzle shown `in cross section.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, Il)r designates a cap or bodymember having an annular depending skirt portion II which is internallythreaded, as at I2, for engagement with external threads I3 ofthe neckI4 of a jar I5, the latter being preferably made of amber glass, orwhich may otherwise be made of clear glass` with a frosted finish, witha view in either case to hiding from the patient any objectionableexposure of the contents resulting from the use of the device. A gasketI5 beneath the top wall of the member I0 provides for a tight jointbetween the same and the top of the neck I4 of the jar when the engagingthreads are tightened.

The body member I0 is a casting and includes a projection I5 extendingupwardly fro-m and partly across the ilat top of member I0. The rearwall I'l of the projection I6 is flattened and substantially flush withthe outer surface of skirt II. The forward wall I8 is provided with anopening I8' for the insertion therein of one end of an air exhaust pipeI9, which may be secured in place `by` solder to obtain an air-tightjoint. Pipe I9 is C-shaped, curving upwardly and rearwardly over theprojection I to provide a suitable hook by means of which the device maybe conveniently suspended beneath a dental table whennot in use. vItwill be noted that the open discharge end 20 of the pipeV I9 is directed2 toward the rear of the device and therefore away from the face of thepatient, to permit the inoffensive escape of any unpleasant odorsemanating from the contents of the jar.

Projection I5 is bored from the rear Wall inwardly, asat 2|, for thereception of the shank 22 of an air injection nozzle 23 having ashoulder 24 adapted to engage the rear wall |1, for determining theproper position of the nozzle within the opening 2|. Solder is employedto effect a tight joint between engaging surfaces. Forward of the shank22 the nozzle is reduced in diameter, as at 25, to provide clearancecircumferentially thereof within the opening 2|. The inner end of thenozzle is tapered to a blunt point.

Y At its other end, and beyond the shoulder 24 there is provided anextension ZBterminating in a head 21 forming a shoulder 28 for a purposewhich will presently appear.

The forward end of opening 2| is frustoconical in shape, as shown at'2|', the annular walls thereof being substantially parallel with thoseof the tapered end of nozzle 23, but spaced therefrom. -Nozzle 23 ishollow to provide a passageway 30 the walls o f which taper rearwardlythrough the projection 26 and the head 21. `The opposite pointed end ofthe nozzle is pierced by a relatively small opening 3l communicatingwithrthe passageway 3D., An opening 32 in the top wall of member lI0provides a port for the passage of air from the jar I5 .into opening 2|,and through another port 33 leading to the opening I8' and pipe [9, andthence to atmosphere through the-open` end A2|) of pipel9.-

A suction inletpipe 34' extends through an `opening in the top wall ofmember lil in alignment `with and opposite the forward'end of theVprojectionl, vand is secured by solder, as indi cated at 34', to preventany leakage'of air into the jar around the pipe. The lower end of pipebeen strung thereon. This is easily accomplished by moving the slide asufficient distance along pipe 34 to uncover its forward end.

It will now be apparent that when the nozzle 31 has been inserted in theend of pipe 34, and slide 38 has been moved forwardly, the pins 42 willenter the bayonet slots 4|, and the spring 4|] will be compressedbetween the rear wall 39 and shoulder 36, and upon partial rotation ofthe slide to the position shown in Figure 2, the parts will so vremainuntil such time as it is desired to remove the nozzle by reversing thedescribed operation.

The Yforward end 31' of nozzle 31 is bent at an angle of approximatelydegrees, and is tapered to provide a reductionV in diameter at itsextremity, and likewise a suitable reduction in the diameter of theopening therethrough.

In Figure 1 there is shown a portion of a dental fixture known as an aircut-off consisting of a hollow cylindrical handle `connected to arvalve5| at its upper extremityhaving a control button 52 adapted Vto bedepressed by the thumb to open thet valve Yand admit air undercompression coming from a source of supply through a hose 53, such as adrum, not shown. Leading from Valve 5| in a plane at a Vright Y angle tothe axis of the handle 58, is a nozzle 34 projects beyond the bottom ofskirt Vso, as

to be comparatively remote from the port 32,

yet leaving ample clearance above accumulations in the jar |5,'a`nd isinclined at an angle to the axis vof the'jar as shown. Above the topwall of the body member the pipe 34 curves upwardly and forwardly into,a plane that is slightly above the horizontal, anditerminates in anannulus 35 of greater diameter than the pipe to provide a shoulder 36.The upper end of pipe 34 is tapered internally to receive the externallytaper-ed rear end of a detachable suction nozzle 31. Means are providedfor coupling the nozzle 31 to the pipe 34 under tension so that theengaging tapered surfacesgwill be effective to form a substantiallyair-tight joint about which nozzle 31 may be rotated without disturbingthe integrity of the joint. For this purpose a bayonet slide 38 isprovided, and is mounted looselyon the forward end of ypipe 34 over thevannulus 35. Pipe 34 passes through an opening inthe rear Wall 39` ofVtheslide 3,8, and which rear wall serves as an abutment for one endrof a-coil spring 43 within the slide 38, that' surrounds the adjacent 3 endYof pipe34. Slide 33 is provided with bayonet slots 4|" which arediametrically opposedV adja' centv its forward end, and adapted toengage similarly disposed pins 42 projecting radially V.from adjacentthe rear endof the nozzler31. It

54 having a tapered end adapted to iit within the tapered end ofVpassageway 39 within the extension 25. Nozzle 54 is Vthreaded forengagement with a nut 55, thus adjustable axially of the nozzle.Pivoted-to'the nut 55 at 55 is a spring clip 51 of looped formation, andhaving a bifurcated end 58.

The device of this invention may be readily attached to the dentalcut-off by inserting the nozzle 54 in the tapered opening in the end ofthe extension 26, and then Vswinging the Yclip 51 about its pivot 55 ina counterclockwise direction which *will bring the bifurcated end 58 ofthe` clip'rinto engagement with the shoulder 28 of the head 21 atopposite sides of extension 26. Thus the engaging parts of the joint areheld in position under tension, and Vatightunion is effected. Byswinging the clip 51'in a clockwise direction the elements may beinstantly disconnected. The functioning of the device is as follows: IAfter the connection has been establishedwith the.` air cutoifY andbutton 52 is depressed, air under an'available compression of from 20 to40 pounds will pass through the valve 5|, nozzle 23, and out` throughpipe I9, thus creating a t suction of air from within the jar' I5through the port 32, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 3. Air thusdisplaced from the jar |5"will setup a iiow of air through the nozzle 31and pipe 34 in the direction of the arrows, so thatV any fluids, dust,`or otherdebris within the eld of the opening at the tip of the end 31'will be drawn into Athe jar I5 Vand trapped therein.

`Nozzle 23 is capable of setting up a vacuum of lright position for thepurpose intended, and

because nozzle 31 isrotatablefand in addition has the oilset end 31',itsangle of presentation to the different parts of the oral cavity maybe infinitely varied at 'the`will'of the operator while the jar is heldin the substantially upright p0-;

sition necessary to prevent any loss of its contents.

The device may thus be used as an instrument for removing secretionstending to obstruct the Vision of the operator, or other substances. Thesuction nozzle may be removed for sterilization, and the jar may beemptied when required.

The foregoing description is merely illustrative, and not intended aslimiting the invention thereto, as various modifications Within thescope of the appended claim may be made without departing from thespirit of my invention.

I claim:

An aspirator unit comprising a receptacle and a cap rigidly securedthereto for one-hand 0peration, the cap having a generally radialprojection molded thereon above the top of the cap, a fluid passageaxially of said projection, a fluid pressure supply pipe attached tosaid projection and passage at the outer end thereof,

. ranged in the general plane of said supply and exhaust pipes andentering said receptacle through the top of said cap between an edge andthe exhaust end of said projection, said suction inlet pipe beingsubstantially rigidly secured to the top of said cap, said iiuidpressure supply pipe extending in the general direction of the axis ofsaid receptacle but spaced therefrom an amount suiicient for the fingersto be conveniently placed between said pipe and receptacle, said pipeand its attachment to the receptacle being rigid enough for the pipe toserve as a support for the receptacle.

HARRY P. SIEGEL.

